Plate-printing machine



Nov. 15, 1927.

1,649,583 G. w. GOLDSWORTHY PLATE PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR Nov. 15, 1927. 7 1,649,583.

G. W. GOLDSWORTHY PLATE FRI NTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26, 1926 4 eets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR LJ p M M Nov. 15, 1927. 1,649,583

G. w. GOLDSWORTHY PLATE PRINTING momma FiledNov. 26. 1926 4 Sheets-sheet 3 115.4. .F VI I I 17 J8 INVENTOR Nov. 15:1927. 1,649,583.

G. w. GOLDSWORTHY PLATE PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 26. 1926 4 heets-Sheet 4 35 INVENTOR 1m Mu $1 9. 1 3 l 28 v 4 w 32-V 11 M M iii Cir

Patented Nov. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES GEORGE GOLDSW'ORTHY, OE PITTEBUEGE, IENNFaEZLVAHIA.

PLAflTE-E11IIlTING ILEACHENE.

Application filed November 28, 1928. Serial No. 150,767.

The present invention relates to. plate,

printing machines, and more particularly to a device for positioning the sheet 01" paper upon the plate.

In plate-printing machines.the printing is done by engraved plate, which is supplied with ink to till the engraved depressions therein, which ink is later transferred to a sheet of paper pressed against the engraved plate. The plate-printing process is con1- manly employed for printing eiigravings, such as bank notes, stock certificates. bonds, etc. The standard plate-printing; machines usually comprise beds or slabs one or more that are driven by an endless conveyor and upon which engraved plates are moui d. Each bed travels in a. rectangular path heneath an ink font which applies ink to the phte to fill the engraved inscription; then beneath wii'ier which removes the surplus ink from the taco the plate. allowing the inlet-o remain in the depressions; then past an orator who, with his hand, finishes wiping the plate; and then to a second operator who manually lays the dampened sheet of paper upon the plate and sees that it remai s in position as the plate moves beneath the impression roller which presses the paper against the plate, so that the ink is transferred from the engraved inscription on the plate to the dampened paper. The. printed paper is then removed by a third operator, who inspects it; and the cycle of operations i. repeated.

In order to have the ink take properly, the paper must be slightly moistened which not only makes the paper limp and harder to handle, but which may result in uneven X- pansion of the paper in different sheets. Heretolore. the positioning of the paper on the plate has been universally carried out as a manual operation. requiring consider able skill and care. on the part on the open ator. s well as careful notching oi the paper with notches which the operator can I with n'iarkson the edges of the printing plate. Most eugraviugjgs, suchas bank notes, bonds. stock cerlilicates, etc... are rinted on both sides and are often printed in more than one color. In o der to get a proper in}; of the prii it has been ouratter the licetp-r .nting operation on wet, to notch the sheets to form notches in t eir edges which the operator can match with movies on the printii plates which subsequently rint upon the sheet. This not only requires skill and care on the. part of the operator, but requires a considerable amount of manual work in notching the,

ments as to accurately positioning the dampened sheet of paper upon the printiugplate by means of the feeding and positioning device herein described. i

In the drawings, Thave illustrated the invention as applied to the standard plateprintin machine, and whilev its specific embodiment has been designed with particular reference to such machine, it is to be unden stood that the invention might be applied tojother types or. plate printing machines.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan View of a plate-printing machine having my feeding and positioning attachment applied thereto Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the feeding and positioning mechanism;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the feed l'EGflI Figureo is a section along); the line VV of Figure 4:; V

Figure 6 is a section along the line Vl'-VI of Fig-mic 4-;

Figure 7 is an enlarged section alongthe line VII-VII of Figure 4;

Figures 8, 9 and 10 are detail elevations showing three positions of the latch. which is engaged by a dog on the traveling bed to operate the feed motion;

Figures 11 and 12 are aplan View and an end elevation. respectively, of a modified form of dog;

Figure 13 is a detailed enlarged section along the lines XIII-Kill of Figure 8; and i r Figure i l a detail perspective view of the finger stop mechauisn'i.

Referring to the illu. ated embodin'ient ot the invention, the printing' machine C0111- prises a square table 1. having); a rectangular track 2. in which travel one or more traveling beds 3, upon which the engraved printing plates 4 are mounted. The traveling beds are moved continuously in the direction indicated by the arrow by means of a conveyor Then, after printsuch as an endless sprocket chain 5, which is provided with upstanding pins (5, which engage in holes in the bottom of the beds 3. One, two or four beds may be employed, depending upon the speed of the machine and the rapidity of the operators. The engraved plate l is inked by an ink font 7, which spreads ink uniformly over the face of the engraved plate. The inked plate then passes beneath a wiper 8, which consists oil two rolls 9 and 10, the wipingcloth being unwound from one roller to the other, so as to present. a clean wiping surface to the plate; The plate as it leaves the wiper is then manually wiped by the hand of an operator who stands at the station A. The operator brushes his hands with chalk and then passes them over the plate to remove any vestiges of ink on the surface of the plate between the inscriptions, so that the engraving will not be smeared. The machine so far described is a standard plate-printing machine. The details of the bed motion are set forth in the Read Patent, No. 635,978 of October 81, 1899, and need not be described further.

In the standard machines as now used, the printing plate as it leares the operator at station A passes to an operator who stands at the station B. This operator takes a dampened sheet of paper from a stack and with the help of the operator A carefully positions the sheet of paper upon the platel, as it passes to the impression roller 11, which is a re silient cloth-covered roller which presses down upon the paper, so that the ink is transt'erred from the engraved plate to the dampened paper. Antifriction rolls 12 are usually employed to support the bed and the plate 4:, carried thereby, as they pass beneath the impression roller 11.

As before: stated, the operator A, assisted by the operator B, must carefully position the sheet of paper upon a printing plate, this being done in accordance with present-practiee by the aid oi notches cutin each edge of the sheet which the operators match with lines scratched upon the edge of the printing plate. After the plate passcs beneath the impression roller 11, the sheet of paper or engravingis lifted from the plate by an operator at the station marked C, who also inspects the work.

The present invention relates particularly to a device for feeding the sheet of paper and accuately positioning it upon the printing plate 4, as it passes to the impression roller ll. My positioning device does away with the necessity for notchingthe edges of the paper, as well as eliminating the trimming of the sheets singly after printing, thus ettectins; a great practical economy in plate printing: establishments. It also simplifies the work of theoperators at A andl} and trees the operation of mistakes made by these operators in matching; the notches in the paper with the sc ate-hes on the edges of the plates.

The single sheets of dan'ipened paper preferably supplied to the positioning, device by the operator at station B, but the work of this operator is greatly simplified and accurate positioning is assured, because all this operator has to do is to place the sheet against outside gauges or steps upon the Feed bed. from which the paper is automatically ted to and positioiual upon the printing plate.

Referring to the drawings, the. leading and positioning attachment comprises a teed bed 13, upon which the operator at the station 13 manually places a sheet at (ltlllljJGflQlll paper. The feed bed is provided with an adjustable side gauge let, against which the op erator tits one edge of the sheet. This gauge 14 is made adjustable by means of the clamping nut 15, and is nelerably of the form shown, consisting of an inclined plate beneath which the edge of the paper is fitted. The front gauge against which the operator positions the front cdaje oi the sheet formed by step lingers 16, which project down in front of the plate when it occupies its normal position to receive the sheet oi paper.

After the operator has positioned a sheet of paper against the ranges ll and 16, the l'eedine mechanisn'i is operated in synchronism with the movement of the n'inting plate t to grip the paper and feed it to and accurately position it upon the n'inting plate l. For this purpose, the teed bed 13, whicl'i consists of a flat metal plate, is mounted by slidingbearings 17 upon supporting: rods 18. Springs 19 hold the feed bed 13 in its normal position, but allow it to be moved to the right, as viewed in Figures 2, 3 and i, to flood the paper to the traveling printing plate. The return movement of the feed bed 13 under the influence of the springs 19 is cushioned by the dash pot 191, Formed by a cylinder 19 in the sup 'iort'ing Frame. and a cooperating plunger 19 on the movable teed bed 13. i i

The operating: movei'nent oi the feed bed is imparted to it by means of an adjustable dog 20. carried upon one side at each traveh inn" bed 3, upon which the printing: plate t bedded. A do; 20 is adinstably inounted on each bed by means of scn'ews ill. engaged through slots 22 in the dog. Each do? 22 has a. riser or raiup 23, a horizontal portion 9i and an upstanding catch or dog proper 25.

In Figures 11 and i2 is shown a nn'idiiicaion in which an adjustingrscrew 26 is provided for more delicately adjusting the posi tion of thedoe' on the bed 3.

As each bed 3 reaches the corner oi the machine at the operating station B and makes its turn and travels toward the impression roller ii, the associated dog 20 I lint engages a latch 27, wnich is carried on the feed bed 13. The latch 2'7 comprisesa slotted plate 28, which has two studs 29 and 30, whichproject through a slot 31 in a plate 82 which is carriedby and projects downwardly from the feed bed 13. The

studs 29 and 30 carry the antifriction rollers 33 and 3 1, respectively. The plate 28 has adjustably mounted in its slot an L-shaped foot 35, upon the toe of which is carried an antifriction roller 36. A leaf spring 37 tends to hold the latch 27 in the position shown in Figure 8, which is its normal position when not engaged by the dog 20 and the position which it has when the operator places the sheet of paper upon the feed bed 13.

The operator usually has the sheet of paper positioned against its gauges on the feed bed 13 by the time the printing plate is making the right-angled turn at the operatorsstation. As the printing plate and its supporting bed 3 move toward the impression roller 11, the inclined or ramp surface 23 of the dog 20 passes beneath the latch 27 and raises the roller 36, turning the latch from the position shown in Figure 8 to that shown in Figure 9. This movement operates the gripping fingers 38 which engage the upper edge of the paper. The

gripping lingers 38 normally lie below the surface of the feed bed 13, as indicated in Figure 5, but when the dog 20 rides under the latch 27, the spring-gripping fingers 38 are thrown over to engage the upper edge of the paper. This motion is imparted by a lever 39, which is pivoted at 40 beneath the feedbed. The downwardly projecting end 41 of this lever lies in the path of the upper end of the latch plate 28 as its upper end is swungto the right from the position shown in Figure 8 to that shown in Figure 9. The other end of the lever 39 fits into a rack bar 42,.which is slidably mounted beneath the feed bed 13 by means of the taper headed studs 41-33 which engage in a taper slot 44 in the rack bar 42. The movement of the rack bar 1-2 is transmitted through a pinionhi to a shaft 46 upon which the spring-grip ping fingers 38 are mounted. The shaft 4-6 15 iournaled in a frame 47, which lead- 1ustably mountedon the bottom of the feed bed and may be moved backend forth and clamped in position by the wing nut 48, to position the spring fingers 88 for sheets of paper of different lengths. As soon as the spri g-grippiug lingers 11 engage the paper, the paper is positively handled thereafter, and the operator is relieved of any further care. All the operator has to do is to position the paper against the side and end gauges 14 and 16in position to be gripped by the spring fingers 88. The positionof the fingers 38 may be adjusted for different sized'sheets by lowering thepinion 45 and re-engaging it as desired with the rack 42.

The lingers are made of spring metal so as to give a yielding grip.

After the paperhas been fed into position to beengage d by the impression roller 11,

the spring fingers are released by the restoring movement imparted tothe lever 39 by means of the spring 49, which tends to return the lever 39 to its original position,

as indicated in Figure 8. After the grip of the weighted arms 52 on the end of the shaft 51.

lVhen the gauge fingers 16 are being lifted, the horizontal portion 2'1? of the dog 20 is passing beneath the latch 27, and immediately thereafter the projection catches the heel of the L-shaped latch piece 35. hen the catch 25 first-engages the heel of the latch piece, the pins 29 and 30 are in the position shown in Figure 9, in which the latch piece is not free to turn. The dog, therefore, by engagement of the latch piece carries it along withit and thereby moves the feed bed 13 along its sliding supporting rods 18 against the pressure of its restoring springs 19. The feed bed has a suihcient forward movement to feed the proiecting edge ofthe paper between the printing plate 14 and the impression roller 11. The feeding movement imparted to the feed bed 13 is usually about four or five inches.

After the forward edge of the paper has been sufficiently engaged by the impression roller 11, the feed bed is released and moves back to its initial position. This is accomplished asfollows:

As thedog 20 carries the latch 27 to the right, as viewed in Figures '9 and 10, the feed bed 13 is descendingalong its inclined side bars 18, so that the supporting plate 32 is moving downward relatively to the latch 27 This movement continues until the stud 29 comes opposite the enlargement 52 in one side of the slot 31. The pin then moves into this enlargement, and the latch is permitted to be tilted into the position shown in Figure 10, whereupon its heel is released by the dog. projection'25. The

feed bed 13 is then free to be movedby its restoring springs 19 upwardly along the inclined rods 18 to its initial position. The latch 27 is restored to its original position,

as shown in Figure 8, by means of the'leaf spring 37 and'the gripping fingers 38 are thrown back beneath the plate and the feed bed is then in position to have another sheet of paper placed upon it by the operator as soon as the bed 3, with its plate at, has passed beneath the impression roller 13 and allowed the end gauge fingers 16 to descend into their gauge position.

One side and the forward edge of the sheet of paper are accurately positioned bythe operator against the gauges l4: and 16,-so that thelower edge and one side edge of the sheet of paper are given a fixed position with relation to the printing plate as the sheeto't paper is applied thereto; The paper is gauged from itsforward edge before the gripping li igers 38 engage the paper, so that any inequality or swelling of ithe paper, due to its dampening, does not throw the paper out ofregistry with the printing plate.

In order to permit the accurate gauging of the forward edge of the paper by the fingers 16, a fixed apron 54tis provided having slots or depressions 55 in which the gauge fingers 16 are engaged. \Vhen the feed bed 13 is moved forwardly, it moves over the apron 54,, the extreme forwardedge of the paper whiehprojects beyond the low ermost edge of the feed bed and on to the apron 54, moving over the apron 5e and into the bite between the impression roller and the plate. I a

The feed bed motion is preferably imparted to it, as shown, by the travel of each printing plate and its supporting bed, so that there is always an absolute synchronism between the travel of the printing plate to the impression roller and the movement of the feeding and positioning mechanism, thus insuring an accurate positioning of the paper on the printing plate.

The parts of the machine have the various accurate adjustments illustrated, so that the position of the paper on the-feed bed and the movement of the feed bed relative to the printing plate can be nicely adjusted so that the sheet of paper would be positioned accurately upon the printing plate. That is, of course, very important in high grade work, such as two-color engraving printin lVhile I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention.

it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to its illustrated embodiment, but may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims,

1 claim:

1. The combination with a plate-printing machine having a horizontally movable printing plate and an impression roller for pressing the paper on the plateto receive the ink therefrom, of means for pushing the paper onto the plate.

2. The combination with a plate-printing maehine having a traveling printing plate movable along a single plane "and acooperneaasss atingroller for pressing the paper on the plate to receive the ink therefrom, of means operating in synchronism with the movement of the plate for pushing a sheet of paper onto the plate as it passes to the roller.

3. The combination with a plate'priuting machine having a traveling printing plate and a cooperating roller for pressing a sheet of paper on the plate to receive the inl therefrom, of means ope 'ated by the travel of the plate for projecting a sheet of paper to the plate and positioning it thereon it passes to the roller.

4. The combination witha plate-printing machine having a horizontally traveling printing plateand an impression roller licneath which the plate travels for pressing a sheet of paper against the plate to receive ink therefrom, of an inclined feed bed adapted to receive a sheet of paper and moved in synchronism with the travel of the plate for feeding the paper forwardly and downwardly to the plate and positioning it thereon as the plate passes to the impression roller.

5. The combination with a plate-printing machine having a t'aveling printing plate and an impression roller for pressing the paper on the plate to receive inlt therefrom. of a feed bed beneath which the plate travels to the roller and a dog moved with the travel of the plate for engaging the feed bed and operating it to feed a sheet of paper to the plate and position it thereon.

6. The combination with a plate-printing machine having a traveling printing plate and cooperating means for pressing a sheet of paper upon the plate to receive ink there from, of a feed bed positioned above the printing plate as it travels to the pressing means, said feed bed having gauges against which a sheet of paper may be positioned and having means for gripping the paper after it is positioned on the feed bed and transferring it to the plate and positioning it thereon. a

7. The combination with a plate-printing machine beneath a traveling printing late and a cooperating rollerbeneath which the plate travels for pressing a sheet of paper against the plate to receive ink therefrom, of a reciprocating iced bed positioned above the plate as it travels to the roller, gangesfor positioning a sheet of paper upon the feed bed, means for gripping the paper after it is positioned on the feed lied, and means for moving the feed bed to ard the roller with the speed of travel of the print ing plate for feeding a sheet of paper to the plate as it passes to the roller: i

8. In a plate printing machine, the combination with an endless conveyor, a print ing plate carried thereby, and an impression roll cooperating with the plate for pressing a! sheet of paper thereagainst, of a feed bed Ill) Illll actuated by the movement of the plate for feeding and positioning a sheet of paper on the plate. I

9. In a plate printing machine, the combination with a conveyor, a plurality of printing plates carried thereby, and an impression roller successively cooperating with the plates during the travel of the conveyor tor pressing sheets of paper thereagainst, of

a feed bed actuated in accordance with the I movement oi the plates for feeding and po sitioning sheets of paper to the plates in substantially the same relative positions.

10. In a plate printing machine, the combination with a conveyor, a plurality of printing plates carried thereby, and an impression roller successively cooperating with the plates during the travel of the conveyor for pressing sheets of paper thereagainst, ot' a feet. bed actuated in accordance with the movement of the plate for feeding and positioning sheets of paper to the plate in substantially absolute registry.

11. In a printing machine, the combina tion with a movable printing plate and a movable teed bed actuated by the movement of the plate for feeding paper thereto, of gripping fingers carried by the feed bed and movable independently thereof in accord ance with the position of the plate.

12. In a printing machine, the combination with a movable printing plate and a movable feed bed actuated by the movement of the plate for teedingpaper thereto, of gripping fingers carried by the feed bed and actuated substantially simultaneously with the teed bed in accordance with the position of the plate.

13. In a printing machine, a movable printing plate, a roller cooperating with the plate, and a feed bed for positioning sheets 7 ly thereof, means for adjusting the normal position of the lingers relative to the base, and means for moving the lingers in the base in a predetermined sequence in accordance with the movement of a printing plate.

15. In a movable feed bed for a printing machine, a base, adjustable gripping fingers extending therethrough, and means for simultaneously controlling the independent movement of the base and fingers.

16. The combination with a plate printing machine having a traveling printing plate and an impression roller for pressing the paper thereagainst, of a feed bed beneath which the plate travels to the roller, and means for moving the feed bed in the direction of travel of paper being fed to the plate and positioned thereon.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEO. IV. GOLDSIVQRTHY.

CERTIFICATE OF CURREGTIUN.

Patent No. 1,649,583. Granted November 15, 1927, to

GEORGE W. GOLDSWQRTHYQ it in hernhy certified that error appears in the printed specii'icaiion oi the ahove numbered patent requiring correctinn as iniinws: Page 1, line 14, strike nut the wards "One or more" and insert the samn in follow after the word "cnmprise" in thb ame iine; and that the said Letters Paient shnnld be read my cnnfnrm to the record of the with this correction therein that the same case in the Patent Office.

Signed and senied this 20th day of December, A. D. 1927.

M. J. Moore, Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Seal, 

